investingLive Asia-Pacific FX news wrap: Upbeat data from Japan, sticky inflation too

Forex Short News

It was a subdued session for financial markets with the U.S. closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, leaving liquidity thin and ranges tight.

Japan delivered the bulk of the overnight interest, with a run of data that broadly supports the case for a Bank of Japan rate hike in the coming months. Tokyo core CPI, a lead indicator of nationwide inflation, rose 2.8% y/y in November, a touch firmer than expected and unchanged from October. The demand-driven gauge that excludes both fresh food and fuel also held at 2.8%, pointing to sticky underlying inflation. Services inflation eased slightly to 1.5% but remains consistent with persistent price pressure.

On the activity side, factory output surprised to the upside with a 1.4% m/m gain in October, driven by auto production. But manufacturers expect declines ahead, forecasting drops of 1.2% in November and 2.0% in December as the hit from U.S. tariffs looms larger. Retail sales and labour-market readings were steady, suggesting Japan’s domestic economy is proving resilient for now.

Major FX stayed confined to narrow ranges throughout the session.

Asia-Pac
stocks:

  • Japan
    (Nikkei 225) -0.1%
  • Hong
    Kong (Hang Seng) -0.24%
  • Shanghai
    Composite +0.2%
  • Australia
    (S&P/ASX 200) -0.1%

This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.